"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts" – Aristotle.
I believe in “total education” – educating the whole person. An effective education not only sharpens the intellect – it should also cultivate the inner resources required to face challenges of daily living with grace and artistry. Total education includes disciplines of traditional education – Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, English, Physical Education – with the addition of certain invaluable meditative disciplines such asyoga, breath awareness, relaxation, meditation, contemplative inquiry, mindfulness, and present moment awareness.
These “inner” disciplines are meant to awaken in the person a sense of self-awareness, peace, joy, resilience, and inner harmony. Total education includes studies of the world’s various wisdom traditions – tailored uniquely to each grade level – which is intended to integrate the “inner” and “outer” worlds for the student, infuse him/her with a feeling of meaning and purpose in life, shed light on the various wisdom traditions throughout the world, inspire the student to take responsibility and care for the planet, and encourage activism in the spirit of service.
Total education gives students the opportunity to cultivate intelligence of body, breath, intention, mind, intellect, character, and consciousness. It is intended integrate the various elements and virtues of the individual – intellectual and intuitive, practical and imaginative, inner peace and social harmony. It balances the physical, sensory, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of the student in ways that make learning fun, interesting, enjoyable, and indispensable for the success of the student and the prosperity of the planet. It is also intended to integrate the various elements and virtues of the individual: intellectual and intuitive, practical and imaginative, inner peace and outer harmony. It balances the physical/sensory, emotional, mental, and spiritual domains of the student in ways that make learning fun, interesting, enjoyable, and indispensable for his/her personal growth and development.
The image depicted at the top of the page illustrates the inherent duality of education. Education consists of teaching and learning, but the division between the learner and the learned, the teachings and knowledge itself, dissolve in the holistic, mindful classroom. Knowledge can be reciprocated and shared between teacher and student. Neither individual can be rightfully said to be the true originator of the instruction. Thus, education is less about imparting knowledge as it is about the sharing of knowledge and the dynamic interplay of multiple levels of understanding both between and within individuals. Simply put, learning is a two-way street.
Teaching and Learning in Practice
Teaching and learning are two sides of the education “coin”. For effective teaching and learning to take place, there must be a balance of four key elements:
Planning – Classroom activities must be carefully designed and structured to fit into the greater context, but must not be overly rigid so as to hinder spontaneous opportunities for learning. Instruction must be differentiated based on the individual needs of students and provide necessary scaffolding to ensure student success.
Environment – The classroom environment must be conducive to open exploration of ideas and allow students to feel safe and welcome to ask questions and share their thoughts. The teacher must create a compassionate and safe space to allow effective learning to take place.
Content – Class content must follow state and national standards while also being useful and relevant to students. It should be tailored to various learning styles so that everyone can learn. Content must be shared in a way that is practical, fun, and of interest to students. Students should be enthusiastic about at least some of what they learn.
Assessment – Assessments must be reflective of class content, fair, and reasonable. Assessments should serve as a barometer for student achievement but must not be the only motivation for what is taught. For assessments to be truly fair, they should be based on a criteria-referenced grading system.
When all four ingredients are in place, there is space for the Buddha’s “Seven Factors of Enlightenment” to naturally unfold – both within the student and the teacher. True education requires that teachers embody these attitudes first and foremost and thus instill them in their students. These attitudes are the foundation for “total education”:
1. Mindfulness – non-judgmental awareness
Mindfulness on the part of the student entails paying close attention to what is being taught, but more importantly, paying close attention to the student’s innate wisdom regarding the subject matters being explored. Meta-cognition is a valuable means for deepening students’ awareness and sense of self.
Mindfulness on the part of the teacher entails using various teaching strategies at the appropriate time, in the appropriate way. In particular, differentiated instruction is an invaluable strategy. It also entails the teacher being aware of her students’ Zone of Proximal Development (Vygotsky) while teaching and remains mindful of her students’ multiple forms of intelligence (Gardener), learning styles, and unique gifts as individuals. The teacher also needs to remain mindful of their own pre-existing knowledge of the learning process and of students’ cognitive development in the contexts of Piaget and Vygotsky. Finally, it is incumbent on the teacher to tap into students’ higher level thinking in a way that is tailored uniquely to the individual.
2. Investigation – careful examination/open exploration of ideas
Investigation on the part of the teacher entails staying attuned to current research on effective teaching strategies, continued learning on how to teach, and career development workshops. Practically, investigation in the classroom requires that the teacher remain humble and cognizant that “I am not teacher…I am just a vehicle by which young people learn.” It requires that the teacher makes a concerted effort to understand the way that students think about ideas at various stages in their development. Teachers should strive to investigate and expand their knowledge of the learning process itself as well. Teachers should also allow students to discover answers for themselves and provide students with the necessary scaffolding.
3. Energy – actively promoting inner vitality
Energy on the part of the student entails that the student sits upright with a good posture and shares his enthusiasm for what he is learning insofar as he is comfortable to do so and it is supportive of the learning of the entire group. Without enthusiasm, there can be no motivation, and without motivation, true learning could never take place. Thus, students are encouraged to energetically engage with what they learn.
Energy on the part of the teacher entails maintaining healthy eating and living habits that support a balanced and harmonious lifestyle and that promote inner vitality. It is the job of the teacher to keep students actively engaged, and the only way that students will feel comfortable to share their enthusiasm is if the teacher herself has the energy and vitality to support an energetic classroom environment that welcomes participation.
4. Joy – experiencing the fullness of life
This is perhaps one of the most important aspects of this educational framework. Joy on the part of the student entails striving to maintain a cheerful attitude regardless of academic success or lack thereof. Learning is important, but happiness is most vital. Students are in school for a large portion of their lives and deserve to enjoy what they are doing. Joyful learning requires that the classroom environment and institution itself promotes activities that help students stay happy. One of the most practical examples of this is the inclusion of yoga classes in school at various times throughout the day. Institutions need to move away from ‘school as prison’ to ‘school as paradise.’
Joy on the part of the teacher entails teaching from the heart and enjoying the planning process. We all need to make money and earn a living, but this cannot be a teacher’s sole reason for guiding developing young minds! It is the teacher’s job to teach from a place of effortless joy; in doing so true teaching and learning takes place and the teacher serves as a conduit by which students can authentically and mindfully learn to integrate the wisdom of the heart with the knowledge of the mind. Again, inclusion of yoga classes within a school setting can be deeply nourishing and supportive for teachers’ maintaining a spirit of optimism. Part of joyful instruction is the need for the teacher to experiment with various strategies of teaching to meet the diverse needs of students.
Without tranquility, the mind is, by its very nature, restless and diffuse.
Tranquility on the part of the student entails the students having quiet time to explore his ideas and to journal his thinking. Students should also be given time (could be mere minutes!) to sit quietly with eyes closed and focus on their breathing. Doing so has enormous potential for quieting the mind and fostering a deep sense of relaxation and security.
Tranquility on the part of the teacher entails creating the space for quiet introspection during class (e.g. giving the students 5 min of journal time at the start of class), but it also requires that the teacher makes a concerted effort to stay calm in her daily life outside of school. Meditation can be a phenomenal tool for discovering peace and calm through the storms of busy schedules and fast-paced learning environments that are prevalent in public schools.
Students should have weekly sessions led by the teacher aimed at helping them to train their attention. This could entail focusing on a moving dot, listening carefully to and writing what another has to say, meditation, or guided imagery. The whole purpose of training students’ attention is to help them to learn how to tune into what they learn and to access it at a much deeper level. Meditation can also help students to access their higher level thinking that might otherwise remain dormant.
Concentration on the part of the teacher entails that the teacher remains fully present with her students and strives to give them her complete attention. This means no texting or e-mailing friends or family while students are engaged in group activities! Concentration on the part of teachers also encourages teachers to set aside a certain amount of time each day to train their own attention – this can be accomplished by way of meditation.
7. Equanimity – evenness/stability of mind
Equanimity on the part of the student requires good classroom behavior and having respect for students and teachers alike. Encouragement from teachers is necessary to avoid hitting the extremes of excitement and depression, and instead, to mindfully strive to reach a balanced state of equilibrium.
Equanimity on the part of the teacher entails not being jostled about by the ups and downs of everyday life – maintaining a healthy dose of detachment to what goes well in the classroom, and what does not. Equanimity includes adaptability; the teacher must be able and ready to handle any challenge that arises spontaneously with assurance and conviction. Equanimity means trustfully surrendering to life as it unfolds with full faith that everything that happens, happens for a reason.
Classroom management falls in the category of learning environment. It is the teacher’s responsibility to create the right learning environment by effectively managing the classroom and ensuring that students are on their behavior. Students should be motivated to learn and teachers should organize their lessons so they peak students' curiosity.
Students need to understand how the various subjects that they are learning fit together. Rather than compartmentalizing knowledge, students need to be encouraged to realize that the distinction between various subject – Social Studies and English, Mathematics and Science – blurs as one openly explores real-life questions and considerations. Teachers need to strive to create a sense of continuity throughout everything they teach. In a math class, for example, they must work diligently to make students aware that algebra and geometry are two sides of the same coin.
Yoga can function as a useful stress reliever and transition activity to focus students’ attention in the classroom. Yoga, meditation, and mindfulness can transform the mood and energy of students and, subsequently, of the classroom as a whole. Planning, assessment, content, and the classroom environment should all be filled with joy, but the wise teacher realizes that these are also natural bi-products of the joyful classroom. Students need to be led to realize that the joy of the individual is the joy of the group and visa versa.
Philosophy of Education
"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts" – Aristotle.
I believe in “total education” – educating the whole person. An effective education not only sharpens the intellect – it should also cultivate the inner resources required to face challenges of daily living with grace and artistry. Total education includes disciplines of traditional education – Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, English, Physical Education – with the addition of certain invaluable meditative disciplines such as yoga, breath awareness, relaxation, meditation, contemplative inquiry, mindfulness, and present moment awareness.
These “inner” disciplines are meant to awaken in the person a sense of self-awareness, peace, joy, resilience, and inner harmony. Total education includes studies of the world’s various wisdom traditions – tailored uniquely to each grade level – which is intended to integrate the “inner” and “outer” worlds for the student, infuse him/her with a feeling of meaning and purpose in life, shed light on the various wisdom traditions throughout the world, inspire the student to take responsibility and care for the planet, and encourage activism in the spirit of service.
Total education gives students the opportunity to cultivate intelligence of body, breath, intention, mind, intellect, character, and consciousness. It is intended integrate the various elements and virtues of the individual – intellectual and intuitive, practical and imaginative, inner peace and social harmony. It balances the physical, sensory, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of the student in ways that make learning fun, interesting, enjoyable, and indispensable for the success of the student and the prosperity of the planet. It is also intended to integrate the various elements and virtues of the individual: intellectual and intuitive, practical and imaginative, inner peace and outer harmony. It balances the physical/sensory, emotional, mental, and spiritual domains of the student in ways that make learning fun, interesting, enjoyable, and indispensable for his/her personal growth and development.
The image depicted at the top of the page illustrates the inherent duality of education. Education consists of teaching and learning, but the division between the learner and the learned, the teachings and knowledge itself, dissolve in the holistic, mindful classroom. Knowledge can be reciprocated and shared between teacher and student. Neither individual can be rightfully said to be the true originator of the instruction. Thus, education is less about imparting knowledge as it is about the sharing of knowledge and the dynamic interplay of multiple levels of understanding both between and within individuals. Simply put, learning is a two-way street.
Teaching and Learning in Practice
Teaching and learning are two sides of the education “coin”. For effective teaching and learning to take place, there must be a balance of four key elements:
Planning – Classroom activities must be carefully designed and structured to fit into the greater context, but must not be overly rigid so as to hinder spontaneous opportunities for learning. Instruction must be differentiated based on the individual needs of students and provide necessary scaffolding to ensure student success.
Environment – The classroom environment must be conducive to open exploration of ideas and allow students to feel safe and welcome to ask questions and share their thoughts. The teacher must create a compassionate and safe space to allow effective learning to take place.
Content – Class content must follow state and national standards while also being useful and relevant to students. It should be tailored to various learning styles so that everyone can learn. Content must be shared in a way that is practical, fun, and of interest to students. Students should be enthusiastic about at least some of what they learn.
Assessment – Assessments must be reflective of class content, fair, and reasonable. Assessments should serve as a barometer for student achievement but must not be the only motivation for what is taught. For assessments to be truly fair, they should be based on a criteria-referenced grading system.
When all four ingredients are in place, there is space for the Buddha’s “Seven Factors of Enlightenment” to naturally unfold – both within the student and the teacher. True education requires that teachers embody these attitudes first and foremost and thus instill them in their students. These attitudes are the foundation for “total education”:
1. Mindfulness – non-judgmental awareness
Mindfulness on the part of the student entails paying close attention to what is being taught, but more importantly, paying close attention to the student’s innate wisdom regarding the subject matters being explored. Meta-cognition is a valuable means for deepening students’ awareness and sense of self.
Mindfulness on the part of the teacher entails using various teaching strategies at the appropriate time, in the appropriate way. In particular, differentiated instruction is an invaluable strategy. It also entails the teacher being aware of her students’ Zone of Proximal Development (Vygotsky) while teaching and remains mindful of her students’ multiple forms of intelligence (Gardener), learning styles, and unique gifts as individuals. The teacher also needs to remain mindful of their own pre-existing knowledge of the learning process and of students’ cognitive development in the contexts of Piaget and Vygotsky. Finally, it is incumbent on the teacher to tap into students’ higher level thinking in a way that is tailored uniquely to the individual.
2. Investigation – careful examination/open exploration of ideas
Investigation on the part of the teacher entails staying attuned to current research on effective teaching strategies, continued learning on how to teach, and career development workshops. Practically, investigation in the classroom requires that the teacher remain humble and cognizant that “I am not teacher…I am just a vehicle by which young people learn.” It requires that the teacher makes a concerted effort to understand the way that students think about ideas at various stages in their development. Teachers should strive to investigate and expand their knowledge of the learning process itself as well. Teachers should also allow students to discover answers for themselves and provide students with the necessary scaffolding.
3. Energy – actively promoting inner vitality
Energy on the part of the student entails that the student sits upright with a good posture and shares his enthusiasm for what he is learning insofar as he is comfortable to do so and it is supportive of the learning of the entire group. Without enthusiasm, there can be no motivation, and without motivation, true learning could never take place. Thus, students are encouraged to energetically engage with what they learn.
Energy on the part of the teacher entails maintaining healthy eating and living habits that support a balanced and harmonious lifestyle and that promote inner vitality. It is the job of the teacher to keep students actively engaged, and the only way that students will feel comfortable to share their enthusiasm is if the teacher herself has the energy and vitality to support an energetic classroom environment that welcomes participation.
4. Joy – experiencing the fullness of life
This is perhaps one of the most important aspects of this educational framework. Joy on the part of the student entails striving to maintain a cheerful attitude regardless of academic success or lack thereof. Learning is important, but happiness is most vital. Students are in school for a large portion of their lives and deserve to enjoy what they are doing. Joyful learning requires that the classroom environment and institution itself promotes activities that help students stay happy. One of the most practical examples of this is the inclusion of yoga classes in school at various times throughout the day. Institutions need to move away from ‘school as prison’ to ‘school as paradise.’
Joy on the part of the teacher entails teaching from the heart and enjoying the planning process. We all need to make money and earn a living, but this cannot be a teacher’s sole reason for guiding developing young minds! It is the teacher’s job to teach from a place of effortless joy; in doing so true teaching and learning takes place and the teacher serves as a conduit by which students can authentically and mindfully learn to integrate the wisdom of the heart with the knowledge of the mind. Again, inclusion of yoga classes within a school setting can be deeply nourishing and supportive for teachers’ maintaining a spirit of optimism. Part of joyful instruction is the need for the teacher to experiment with various strategies of teaching to meet the diverse needs of students.
5. Tranquility – internal peace and quietude
Without tranquility, the mind is, by its very nature, restless and diffuse.
Tranquility on the part of the student entails the students having quiet time to explore his ideas and to journal his thinking. Students should also be given time (could be mere minutes!) to sit quietly with eyes closed and focus on their breathing. Doing so has enormous potential for quieting the mind and fostering a deep sense of relaxation and security.
Tranquility on the part of the teacher entails creating the space for quiet introspection during class (e.g. giving the students 5 min of journal time at the start of class), but it also requires that the teacher makes a concerted effort to stay calm in her daily life outside of school. Meditation can be a phenomenal tool for discovering peace and calm through the storms of busy schedules and fast-paced learning environments that are prevalent in public schools.
6. Concentration – active flow of attention
Students should have weekly sessions led by the teacher aimed at helping them to train their attention. This could entail focusing on a moving dot, listening carefully to and writing what another has to say, meditation, or guided imagery. The whole purpose of training students’ attention is to help them to learn how to tune into what they learn and to access it at a much deeper level. Meditation can also help students to access their higher level thinking that might otherwise remain dormant.
Concentration on the part of the teacher entails that the teacher remains fully present with her students and strives to give them her complete attention. This means no texting or e-mailing friends or family while students are engaged in group activities! Concentration on the part of teachers also encourages teachers to set aside a certain amount of time each day to train their own attention – this can be accomplished by way of meditation.
7. Equanimity – evenness/stability of mind
Equanimity on the part of the student requires good classroom behavior and having respect for students and teachers alike. Encouragement from teachers is necessary to avoid hitting the extremes of excitement and depression, and instead, to mindfully strive to reach a balanced state of equilibrium.
Equanimity on the part of the teacher entails not being jostled about by the ups and downs of everyday life – maintaining a healthy dose of detachment to what goes well in the classroom, and what does not. Equanimity includes adaptability; the teacher must be able and ready to handle any challenge that arises spontaneously with assurance and conviction. Equanimity means trustfully surrendering to life as it unfolds with full faith that everything that happens, happens for a reason.
Classroom management falls in the category of learning environment. It is the teacher’s responsibility to create the right learning environment by effectively managing the classroom and ensuring that students are on their behavior. Students should be motivated to learn and teachers should organize their lessons so they peak students' curiosity.
Students need to understand how the various subjects that they are learning fit together. Rather than compartmentalizing knowledge, students need to be encouraged to realize that the distinction between various subject – Social Studies and English, Mathematics and Science – blurs as one openly explores real-life questions and considerations. Teachers need to strive to create a sense of continuity throughout everything they teach. In a math class, for example, they must work diligently to make students aware that algebra and geometry are two sides of the same coin.
Yoga can function as a useful stress reliever and transition activity to focus students’ attention in the classroom. Yoga, meditation, and mindfulness can transform the mood and energy of students and, subsequently, of the classroom as a whole. Planning, assessment, content, and the classroom environment should all be filled with joy, but the wise teacher realizes that these are also natural bi-products of the joyful classroom. Students need to be led to realize that the joy of the individual is the joy of the group and visa versa.